Dynamic information storage to enable angle-of-arrival smart antennas

ABSTRACT

An apparatus comprises an antenna array, a block of switches, a programmable logic device and a memory device. The antenna array comprises a plurality of antenna elements. The block of switches is configured to selectively connect respective ones of a subset of the plurality of antenna elements to corresponding ones of a plurality of transceivers in a host device. The programmable logic device is configured to communicate with the host device and to control the block of switches. The memory device is coupled to the programmable logic device, and is configured to store information allowing the host device to determine how to control connectivity of individual antenna elements to respective ones of the plurality of transceivers of the host device as part of transmit and/or receive operations of the host device.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.15/220,711, filed Jul. 27, 2016, the entirety of which is incorporatedherein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to smart antenna devices and their use inwireless communication applications.

BACKGROUND

Angle-of-arrival (AoA) location involves precise knowledge of antennastates of antennas in an antenna array for receiving wireless signals,sequences of antennas states, locations and calibration data. This isespecially true in the case of switched antenna arrays.

Many switched array antennas may be available for use with access pointdevices, and the advantage for plug-and-play interoperability withaccess points is desirable. Each antenna array may be different.Furthermore, future antenna arrays may be increasingly flexible andcomplicated in terms of possible antenna states, making the permutationsof antenna states and calibration data quite extensive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a location system in which a smart antennaarray is used, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a more detailed block diagram of a wireless device to which asmart antenna array is connected for use in the system of FIG. 1,according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of data stored in a header of a memorydevice of the smart antenna array, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of data stored in the memory device foreach antenna element of the smart antenna array, according to an exampleembodiment.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of data stored in the memory device todefine each antenna state, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example of data stored in the memory device todefine antenna sequences, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of data stored in the memory device forcalibration data for each antenna element, according to an exampleembodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart depicting operations performed by a host wirelessdevice that reads content of the memory device of the smart antennaarray, according to an example embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS Overview

In one embodiment, an apparatus is provided comprising an antenna array,a block of switches, a programmable logic device and a memory device.The antenna array comprises a plurality of antenna elements. The blockof switches is configured to selectively connect respective ones of asubset of the plurality of antenna elements to corresponding ones of aplurality of transceivers in a host device. The programmable logicdevice is configured to communicate with the host device and to controlthe block of switches. The memory device is coupled to the programmablelogic device, and is configured to store information allowing the hostdevice to determine how to control connectivity of individual antennaelements to respective ones of the plurality of transceivers of the hostdevice as part of transmit and/or receive operations of the host device.

Example Embodiments

Referring first to FIG. 1, a block diagram is shown of a system 10 thatis useful for determining the location of a wireless device. The system10 is described in connection with a wireless local area network (WLAN),but this is only by way of example only, and is applicable to otherwireless communication environments and technologies. The system 10includes a WLAN controller (WLC) 12, a network time protocol (NTP)server 14, and a central processing server 16 each connected to anetwork 20, e.g., the Internet (one or more wired or wireless local orwide area networks). In the environment where one or more wirelessdevices 30(1)-30(K), e.g., a WLAN client, whose location is to bedetermined, there are deployed a plurality of access points 40(1)-40(N)having connected thereto a smart antenna module or package 50(1)-50(N).

Each access point (AP) 40(1)-40(2) includes a host section 42 and aradio module section 44, as well as an Ethernet network interface card(ENET) 46 that enables wired network communication over network 20. Theradio module section 44 interfaces directly with a smart antenna arraymodule as shown in FIG. 1. The smart antenna array modules 50(1)-50(N)include an array of antennas, such as up to 32 antennas, for example, asdescribed below in connection with FIG. 2. The smart antenna arraymodules 50(1)-50(N) detect signals transmitted by a client device andprovide the detected signals to the radio module 44 of the AP to whichthe smart antenna module is connected. The AP may be referred to hereinas a host device or host wireless device.

The WLC 12 configures and controls the APs 40(1)-40(N). The NTP server14 serves as a timing reference with respect to the APs 40(1)-40(N) forpurposes of synchronizing measurements of signals received by the smartantenna array modules 50(1)-50(N) from a client device, particularlyduring a location measurement procedure. To communicate with the WLC 12,NTP server 14 and central processing server 16, the APs 40(1)-40(N) maysupport communications over various protocols, including Ethernet,Control and Provisioning of Wireless Access Points (CAPWAP) and NTP.

Reference is now made to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 shows the components of an AP40(i) and an associated smart antenna module 50(i). The host section 42includes a baseband signal processor (e.g., modem) 60 and a hostprocessor and memory subsystem 62. The radio module section 44 includesa radio transceiver 70, channel state information (CSI) logic 72, an RFswitch 74 and internal antennas 76. In the example shown in FIG. 2, theradio transceiver 70 includes a plurality, e.g., four, transceivers(Tx/Rx) 78(1)-78(P), where P=4. Each transceiver 78(1)-78(P) cangenerate an analog receive signal and convert it to a digital signal (byan analog-to-digital converter, not shown) for supply to the basebandsignal processor 60 and/or host processor and memory subsystem 62. TheRF switch 74 connects the radio transceiver 70 to either the internalantennas 76 or to the antennas of the smart antenna module 50(i). Theradio transceiver 70 may be implemented in an integrated circuit (IC)and may include control functionality integrated therewith. The CSIlogic 72 computes channel state information based on signals received bythe plurality of transceivers 78(1)-78(P) using antenna calibrationinformation stored by the smart antenna module 50(i) as described below.

The smart antenna module 50(i) includes an antenna array 80 thatcomprises a plurality of antenna elements 82(1)-82(L), an RF switchesblock 84, a complex programmable logic device (CPLD) 86 and a memory 90,e.g., an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM).The EEPROM 90 stores data that characterizes the antenna array 80 and isused for additional purposes as described herein.

The purpose of the smart antenna module 50(i) is to expand the number ofP transceiver paths (defined by the P plurality of transceivers78(1)-78(P)) available in the radio module 44 up to the L plurality ofantenna elements 82(1)-82(L) in the antenna array 80 through RF switchesblock 84 so that multiple overlapping subsets of antennas may beconnected to the radio module 44 over time. At any moment in time, asubset (up to P (e.g., P=4)) of the antenna elements 82(1)-82(L) may beconnected to the radio module 44.

It is desirable to be able to support various antenna array packagesthat “plug” in to radio module 44 of an AP 40(i) and be able to use thevarious antenna array packages to support location procedures.Information stored in EEPROM 90 of the smart antenna array module 50(i)is loaded into firmware of the AP 40(i), and in particular to the CSIlogic 72 and radio transceiver 70. Presented herein are techniques tostore the information in the EEPROM 90 that is useful in AoA locationand precise location techniques.

The subset of antenna elements of the antenna array 80 that areconnected to the radio module 44 at any moment in time is defined by theantenna state that is configured via the radio transceiver 70 through adigital interface between the radio module 44 and the smart antennaarray module 50(i), and in particular between the radio transceiver 70and CSI logic 72, and CPLD 86. The antenna state is mapped to therequired RF switch control signals by the smart antenna array module50(i). The antenna state control signal mapping is specific to eachsmart antenna design.

For example, two antenna configurations that may be supported by the AP40(i) are a 32-element circular array and a 16-element planar array.Each array has its technical advantages. A circular array may bedesigned to mount overhead of a coverage area, such as an AP mountedover a set of cubicles with location accuracy optimized in a cone belowthe AP. A planar array may be designed to mount in a wide-open space(e.g. mall atrium or open manufacturing floor) on the deploymentperimeter.

As explained above, during a given location measurement procedure,antennas of the antenna array (which outnumber the number oftransceivers in the radio module) need to be connected to thetransceivers in the radio module. The path in the radio module to whicha given antenna of the smart antenna array is connected is referred toas an “antenna state”. The EEPROM 90 stores information that indicateswhich antennas map to which paths of the transceiver 70 in the radiomodule for any given antenna state, definition of sequences made up ofmultiple antenna states, and control bytes that change for differentstates. A sequence is the cycling through over time between differentantenna states. This and other information is pulled from the EEPROM 90when the smart antenna module 50(i) is plugged into the AP 40(i). Thesmart antenna module 50(i) uses the information stored in the EEPROM 90to inform the AP 40(i) and other entities upstream from the AP, such asthe WLC 12 and central processing server 16 (shown in FIG. 1) how thesmart antenna module 50(i) is configured and controlled as well as anyparticular calibration data (determined at factory time). This enablesprecise control (by the AP 40(i) and any of these upstream entities) ofreceive signal capture on specific antennas during a locationmeasurement procedure.

Examples of antenna states are (where there are four radio paths in theradio module, radioPath_A, radioPath_B, radioPath_C, and radioPath_D):

State 0:

-   -   antenna 1->radioPath_A,    -   antenna 2->radioPath_B,    -   antenna 3->radioPath_C,    -   antenna 4->radioPath_D,

-   State 1:    -   antenna 1->radioPath_A,    -   antenna 5->radioPath_B,    -   antenna 6->radioPath_C,    -   antenna 7->radioPath_D,

A sequence is the cycling through, over time, of different antennastates. An example is:

-   -   sequence0={state0, state1, state2, . . . , stateN}

There are several motivations for using the EEPROM 90 in a plug-and-playAoA location system, such as depicted in FIG. 1. The EEPROM 90 may havea flexible and general EERPOM structure format that accommodates anyantenna type. The EEPROM 90 may store one or more of the following data:

1. Specific switched antenna state sequences, and when the smart antennamodule 50(i) is connected to the radio module 44, this information ispushed to the firmware of the radio module.

2. Different sequences for different frequency bands and radio operation(2.4 GHz versus 5 GHz, Wi-Fi® capture versus Bluetooth® Low Energy BLE,receive versus transmit).

3. Definitions of antenna states that is pushed to radio modulefirmware.

4. Antenna-specific CPLD control bytes and register addresses for theradio module firmware to control antenna state switching.

5. Calibration data of antenna states that is pushed to the radio modulefirmware. The calibration for an antenna state may be the group delay orphase introduced due to a particular RF path from an antenna totransceiver in the radio module. The EEPROM 90 may storeantenna-specific offsets to be applied to AoA data vectors.

6. Antenna beam patterns that may be pushed to the central processingserver.

If information is not stored in EEPROM 90, it may be retrieved from acentral or cloud-based database based on product identifier (PID). Theradio module may modify the specific antenna state scanning based onantenna capability. The WLC 12 or central processing server 16 maydownload additional information (from the cloud) based on PID to furtherutilize the antennas. The EEPROM 90 may be used for controller antennaPID and capability discovery. The central processing server may initiatesystem calibrations upon discovery (e.g. auto-align antennas), updatescanning/grouping, etc.

A summary of information stored in the EEPROM 90 is explained below inTable 1.

TABLE 1 Smart Antenna Identification Data numberAntenna Total number ofantennas in the array. antennaStateMap Table that maps the antennaStateto set of active antenna elements and RF port. antennaElementLocationTable that maps each antennaElement to a relative location (x, y, z) inthe array, relative to array center. antennaElementOrientation Unitnormal vector of each element (used with element pattern information).antennaCalibration Table of relative loss and phase for eachantennaState. antennaPattern ‘out-of-band’ lookup table with patterndata (magnitude, phase) vs. azimuth and elevation angle for an isolatedantenna element in the array. antennaElementId Unique part number forthe antenna element matched with pattern information.arrayOrientationMarker Relative location (x, y, z) of the visibleorientation marker on the array assembly, relative to array center.antennaId Unique part # or identifier for the antenna model.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 3-7 for a further description of anexample data structure format for the EEPROM 90. FIG. 3 illustrates anexample of header information of the EEPROM. The header information mayinclude information concerning antenna serial number, antenna arraycapability, antenna PID, number of antenna in array, calibration dataversion, EEPROM format version, number of RF paths, number of CPLDregister banks, number of valid antenna states, number of sequences, andother information as indicated in FIG. 3, and referred to above as wellas explained in the notes field of FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of how antenna element information isstored in the EEPROM. For each antenna element, a plurality ofinformation is stored, including an antenna element identifier,frequency (use for one or multiple frequency bands), number of RF pathsthat can be used for the antenna, location information, etc.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of how antenna states may be defined inthe EEPROM. For each state, there is defined, a state identifier, numberof antenna in state, number of CPLD register banks, for each RF(transceiver path of host device), an RF path identifier and antennaassignment are stored. In addition, CPLD register band address valuesare stored (associated with the number of applicable CPLD registerbanks) so defined.

FIG. 6 shows an example of how antenna sequences may defined in theEEPROM. A set of default sequences may be stored in the EEPROM. Thedefault sequences are used by default. There may be 1 default sequenceper operation modes (e.g., 1 default sequence for Wi-Fi 5 GHz, 1 defaultsequence for Wi-Fi 2 GHz, 1 default sequence for spectrum management inthe 2 GHz frequency band, and 1 default sequence for spectrum managementin the 5 GHz frequency band). Other sequences can be included in theEEPROM and the firmware of the host device could choose to use theminstead in one or more of those operation modes. Unless the firmwareexplicitly selects to use a non-default sequence, the default ones maybe chosen.

Non-default sequence 0 through sequence t may be defined, where t is thenumber of sequences defined in the header (FIG. 3). For each sequence,the following information may be stored: a sequence number, sequencelength, applicable frequency band, first antenna state in the sequence,second antenna state in the sequence, etc.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of calibration data is stored in theEEPROM. As explained above, the calibration data for an antenna statemay be the group delay or phase introduced due to a particular RF pathfrom an antenna to transceiver in the radio module. For simplicity, FIG.7 shows the various components of the calibration data for one antenna.Similar data may be provided for each of the other antenna elements inthe antenna array.

Reference is now made to FIG. 8. FIG. 8 illustrates a flow chart of amethod 100 performed when a host wireless device, e.g., an AP 40(i), isconnected to an antenna array module 50(i), having the configurationsdescribed above in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2. At 110, connection ofantenna array module to the host device is detected by the host device,e.g., by the radio module section 44 of the host device (and inparticular the CSI logic 72). At 120, the host device reads informationstored in a memory device (e.g., EEPROM 90) of the antenna array modulein response to detecting connection of the antenna array module. At 130,based on the information read from the memory device, the host devicedetermines how to control connectivity of individual antenna elements torespective ones of the plurality of transceivers of the host device aspart of transmit and/or receive operations of the host device.

As explained above, the information stored in the memory device includesantenna state information that indicates, for a given period of time,the subset of antenna elements of the antenna array connected tocorresponding ones of the plurality of transceivers of the host device,and sequence information that specifies one or more sequences, eachsequence comprising a plurality of antenna states to be cycled throughover time. Commands to control a block of switches in the antenna arraymodule are generated based on the sequence information and antenna stateinformation. Furthermore, the information stored in the memory devicefurther includes programmable logic device control bytes and registeraddresses for the host device to control antenna state switching usingthe block of switches during a sequence. The commands are generatedbased further on the programmable logic device control bytes andregister addresses. Further still, the information stored in the memorydevice further includes calibration data in terms of group delay orphase introduced due to a particular path from an antenna element of theantenna array to a transceiver in the host device. In the host device,measurements made on a given transceiver are adjusted based on thecalibration data prior to forwarding the measurements to another device(e.g., the central processing server 16 shown in FIG. 1) for furtherprocessing.

Again, by storing information pertinent to the smart antenna module in amemory of the smart antenna module, firmware in the host device caneasily and immediately detect the smart antenna module and begin usingits functionality. Once host device detects presence of a smart antennamodule due to its connection, firmware on the host device (such as theAP) is able to look in a specific location of the EEPROM of the smartantenna module for antenna identification information. If one of anumber of identification codes is detected, the firmware can determinethat the smart antenna module has information pertinent to systemoperation on its memory device and the firmware can start accessingspecific locations within the memory device of the smart antenna moduleto extract this information.

Since most smart antenna modules cannot use all antenna elements of theantenna array at once, information needs to be passed to the rest of thesystem to indicate which antenna elements should be used together(referred to herein as antenna states), and sequences in which theantenna states should be cycled for particular applications such aslocation detection. To reduce the size and amount of change to firmwarein other network devices, even information on how to set the antennaarray into a given state is stored in the antenna memory device. Oneexample of this is a series of CPLD commands to be issued to set antennaswitches to the appropriate switch state for routing given RF paths toparticular antennas to set the desired antenna state.

Since there are numerous configurations for an antenna array, allocatingstorage space for every possible combination becomes prohibitive.Therefore, the EEPROM of the smart antenna module additionally storesinformation based on antenna array parameters and only populates valuesfor valid antenna/frequency/path possibilities given the states definedwithin the memory. This flexible storage of calibration informationallows the upstream firmware (in the AP or other connected networkdevice) to pull in information from numerous antenna configurations andmanipulate it to immediately use the antenna array. This savesnonvolatile memory space on the antenna array as well as saves volatilememory space on the network devices that use the information from theantenna array.

The information stored in EEPROM of the smart antenna module, onceextrapolated by the firmware, is passed along to devices further back inthe network (for example, the AP, WLC 12, central processing server 16,shown in FIG. 1, etc.) and used for data processing of informationpassed through the antenna array. Information applicable to anindividual antenna element (such as calibration information) is used byfirmware in network devices “close” to the antenna array. Informationapplicable to every antenna of a particular product identifier (e.g.antenna element orientation) is pushed further into the network andstored per product identifier. The central processing server 16, forexample, can use antenna element orientation or position information toapply received signal phase information to assist in locating clientdevices. The AP may apply antenna calibration information to eachmeasurement before passing along measurement information to the nextnetwork device, e.g., WLC 12 or central processing server 16.

In summary, techniques are presented herein for flexible storage ofinformation in a memory device of an antenna array including detailedinformation about the array operation that allows firmware on networkdevices to quickly compute how to operate the antenna array withoutbloating or requiring changes to the network device code for everydifferent array variant. The advantage of storing antenna arrayoperation information in memory space on an antenna array is that itminimizes the changes needed to the code of all other network devicesthat process information received or transmitted through that antennaarray. Pushing information relevant to every antenna further into thenetwork infrastructure allows for numerous antenna array configurationswithout adding changes to software/firmware in the network devices.Storage of information in this way minimizes memory space both on theantenna and in the network devices that use the information.

In one form, an apparatus is provided comprising: an antenna arraycomprising a plurality of antenna elements; a block of switchesconfigured to selectively connect respective ones of a subset of theplurality of antenna elements to corresponding ones of a plurality oftransceivers in a host device; a programmable logic device configured tocommunicate with the host device and to control the block of switches;and a memory device coupled to the programmable logic device, whereinthe memory device is configured to store information allowing the hostdevice to determine how to control connectivity of individual antennaelements to respective ones of the plurality of transceivers of the hostdevice as part of transmit and/or receive operations of the host device.

In another form, a method is provided comprising: detecting connectionof an antenna array module to a host device; reading information storedin a memory device of the antenna array module in response to detectingconnection of the antenna array module to the host device; and based onthe information read from the memory device, determining how to controlconnectivity of individual antenna elements to respective ones of theplurality of transceivers of the host device as part of transmit and/orreceive operations of the host device.

In still another form, a system is provided comprising: a host wirelessdevice comprising a plurality of transceivers; and an antenna arraymodule that removeably connects to the host wireless device, the antennaarray module comprising: an antenna array comprising a plurality ofantenna elements; a block of switches configured to selectively connectrespective ones of a subset of the plurality of antenna elements tocorresponding ones of the plurality of transceivers of the host wirelessdevice; a programmable logic device configured to communicate with thehost wireless device and to control the block of switches; and a memorydevice coupled to the programmable logic device, wherein the memorydevice is configured to store information allowing the host wirelessdevice to determine how to control connectivity of individual antennaelements to respective ones of the plurality of transceivers of the hostwireless device as part of transmit and/or receive operations of thehost wireless device.

The above description is intended by way of example only. Although thetechniques are illustrated and described herein as embodied in one ormore specific examples, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited tothe details shown, since various modifications and structural changesmay be made within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus comprising: an antenna arraycomprising a plurality of antenna elements; a block of switchesconfigured to selectively connect respective ones of a subset of theplurality of antenna elements to corresponding ones of a plurality oftransceivers in a host device; a programmable logic device configured tocommunicate with the host device and to control the block of switches;and a memory device coupled to the programmable logic device, whereinthe memory device is configured to store information including antennabeam pattern data that is pushed to a server in a network to which thehost device communicates so as to allow the host device to determine howto control connectivity of individual antenna elements of the pluralityof antenna elements to respective ones of the plurality of transceiversof the host device as part of transmit and/or receive operations of thehost device.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information storedin the memory device includes antenna state information that indicates,for a given period of time, the subset of the plurality of antennaelements of the antenna array connected to corresponding ones of theplurality of transceivers of the host device.
 3. The apparatus of claim2, wherein the information stored in the memory device includes sequenceinformation that specifies one or more sequences, each sequencecomprising a plurality of antenna states to be cycled through over time.4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the information stored in thememory device further includes programmable logic device control bytesand register addresses for the host device to control antenna stateswitching using the block of switches during a sequence.
 5. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the information stored in the memorydevice further includes calibration data in terms of group delay orphase introduced due to a particular path from an antenna element of theantenna array to a transceiver in the host device so as to allowmeasurements made by the host device on a given transceiver to beadjusted based on the calibration data.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the memory device is an Electrically Erasable ProgrammableRead-Only Memory (EEPROM) device.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, whereinthe programmable logic device is responsive to commands from the hostdevice to generate controls for the block of switches to controlconnectivity of the individual antenna elements of the plurality ofantenna elements to respective ones of the plurality of transceivers. 8.A method comprising: detecting connection of an antenna array module toa host device, the antenna array module including a plurality of antennaelements; in response to detecting the connection of the antenna arraymodule to the host device, reading information stored in a memory deviceof the antenna array module, wherein the information includes antennabeam pattern data that is pushed to a server in a network to which thehost device communicates; and based on the information read from thememory device, determining how to control connectivity of individualantenna elements of a plurality of antenna elements to respective onesof a plurality of transceivers of the host device as part of transmitand/or receive operations of the host device.
 9. The method of claim 8,wherein the information stored in the memory device includes antennastate information that indicates, for a given period of time, a subsetof antenna elements of the antenna array module connected tocorresponding ones of the plurality of transceivers of the host device.10. The method of claim 9, wherein the information stored in the memorydevice includes sequence information that specifies one or moresequences, each sequence comprising a plurality of antenna states to becycled through over time, and further comprising: generating commands tocontrol a block of switches in the antenna array module based on thesequence information and the antenna state information.
 11. The methodof claim 10, wherein the information stored in the memory device furtherincludes programmable logic device control bytes and register addressesfor the host device to control antenna state switching using the blockof switches during a sequence, wherein generating commands is basedfurther on the programmable logic device control bytes and registeraddresses.
 12. The method of claim 8, wherein the information stored inthe memory device further includes calibration data in terms of groupdelay or phase introduced due to a particular path from an antennaelement of the antenna array module to a transceiver in the host device,and further comprising: in the host device, adjusting measurements madeon a given transceiver based on the calibration data prior to forwardingthe measurements to another device for further processing.
 13. A systemcomprising: a host wireless device comprising a plurality oftransceivers; and an antenna array module that is configured toremoveably connect to the host wireless device, the antenna array modulecomprising: an antenna array comprising a plurality of antenna elements;a block of switches configured to selectively connect respective ones ofa subset of the plurality of antenna elements to corresponding ones ofthe plurality of transceivers of the host wireless device; aprogrammable logic device configured to communicate with the hostwireless device and to control the block of switches; and a memorydevice coupled to the programmable logic device, wherein the memorydevice is configured to store information including antenna beam patterndata that is pushed to a server in a network to which the host wirelessdevice communicates so as to allow the host wireless device to determinehow to control connectivity of individual antenna elements of theplurality of antenna elements to respective ones of the plurality oftransceivers of the host wireless device as part of transmit and/orreceive operations of the host wireless device.
 14. The system of claim13, wherein the information stored in the memory device includes antennastate information that indicates, for a given period of time, the subsetof the plurality of antenna elements of the antenna array connected tocorresponding ones of the plurality of transceivers of the host wirelessdevice.
 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the information stored inthe memory device includes sequence information that specifies one ormore sequences, each sequence comprising a plurality of antenna statesto be cycled through over time.
 16. The system of claim 15, wherein thehost wireless device is configured to generate commands to control theblock of switches in the antenna array module based on the sequenceinformation and the antenna state information.
 17. The system of claim16, wherein the information stored in the memory device further includesprogrammable logic device control bytes and register addresses for thehost wireless device to use to control antenna state switching using theblock of switches during a sequence, wherein the host wireless devicegenerates the commands based on the programmable logic device controlbytes and register addresses.
 18. The system of claim 16, wherein theprogrammable logic device is responsive to the commands from the hostwireless device to generate controls for the block of switches tocontrol connectivity of the individual antenna elements of the pluralityof antenna elements to respective ones of the plurality of transceivers.19. The system of claim 13, wherein the information stored in the memorydevice further includes calibration data in terms of group delay orphase introduced due to a particular path from an antenna element of theantenna array to a transceiver in the host wireless device, and the hostwireless device is configured to adjust measurements made on a giventransceiver based on the calibration data prior to forwarding themeasurements to another device for further processing.
 20. The system ofclaim 13, wherein the memory device is an Electrically ErasableProgrammable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM) device.